The technical and environmental committee at Ikast-Brande Municipality has approved sky-high plans submitted by international fashion company Bestseller to build a bold new headquarters in the central Jutland town where it all began.

The next step will be to seek the approval of the finance committee on March 5 and then the municipality on March 11 – a formality according to those close to the process.

320-metre skyscraper
The most striking feature of the 60,000 sqm facility will be a 320-metre skyscraper, which when constructed will stand amongst the tallest in western Europe.

Founded in 1975 in the small Danish town of Brande, Bestseller has grown into a truly global company that now employs 15,000 people worldwide.

Despite its global success, Bestseller is still a wholly family-owned company which retains a strong connection to its Jutland home – indeed, CEO Anders Holch Povlsen is the son of the founder.

Building his own city
Two notable Danish firms will be involved in the construction of the Bestseller Village and Tower: Dorte Mandrup architects and Rambøll engineers.

Their work will result in a headquarters that will operate more like a small city than an office complex.

Set to include residences, retail stores, offices, a hotel and restaurants, it will be entirely funded by the company’s billionaire CEO.

Branding Brande
Anders Krogh Vogdrup, the project manager, insists that Bestseller feels like a “natural part of the local community” and believes the construction of the new facility will “be able to create value for both out colleagues and the people in Brande”.

Although Danes are not particularly accustomed to tall towers, it is believed that Bestseller’s high ambitions will provide the opportunity for enormous social and commercial investment in Brande.